Upper Tonto Creek

Federal campground in Tonto National Forest

Location: Payson, AZ, AZ

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (14 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Upper Tonto Creek is a small campground tucked away from the main highway where the Tonto and Horton Creeks merge. 6 Campsites are available for reservation only. This location is available only through reservation May 1through November 3rd.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/upper-tonto-creek to be notified when sites open up.

Small, quiet campground at the confluence of Tonto and Horton Creeks with excellent access to fishing and hiking trails including the Highline National Recreation Trail. Campers praise the helpful host and peaceful atmosphere.

Wildlife alert: Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Wapiti/American Elk, Arizona Mountain Kingsnake present in area

Insider tips for Upper Tonto Creek: Book early - this is a popular federal campground with only 6 sites available for reservation Ask the campground host Ken for site recommendations, especially if you have a trailer Visit on weekdays in July for quieter conditions with fewer occupied sites

Skip Upper Tonto Creek if: You need hookups - no hookups available at this campground. You prefer camping outside May 1 - November 3 seasonal window. You want a large campground - only 6 sites total.

Best time to visit Upper Tonto Creek: May-October — Official operating season; October visits noted as particularly enjoyable by campers.

Nearby campgrounds: Lower Tonto Creek (Payson, AZ), Ponderosa (Az) (PAYSON, AZ), Christopher Creek (PAYSON, AZ), Sharp Creek (PAYSON, AZ).

Cell Phone Coverage at Upper Tonto Creek

Cell signal at Upper Tonto Creek (Payson, AZ): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›AZ›Upper Tonto Creek
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Federal campground in Tonto National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Upper Tonto Creek

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Payson, AZ, AZ★ 4.6 (14 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Upper Tonto Creek is a small campground tucked away from the main highway where the Tonto and Horton Creeks merge. 6 Campsites are available for reservation only. This location is available only through reservation May 1through November 3rd.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups - no hookups available at this campground✕ You prefer camping outside May 1 - November 3 seasonal window✕ You want a large campground - only 6 sites total

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early - this is a popular federal campground with only 6 sites available for reservation

Ask the campground host Ken for site recommendations, especially if you have a trailer

Visit on weekdays in July for quieter conditions with fewer occupied sites

Best: May-October

Official operating season; October visits noted as particularly enjoyable by campers

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Wapiti/American Elk, Arizona Mountain Kingsnake present in area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Tonto National Forest
Getting there →

This site is 17 miles northeast of Payson. From Payson, travel 16 miles east on State Hwy. 260. Just east of mile marker 268 at Kohl’s Ranch, turn left (north) on Forest Road (FR) 289. Travel one mile and turn right into the site.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Tonto National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Tonto National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Upper Tonto Creek cost per night?+
Upper Tonto Creek costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Upper Tonto Creek open?+
Upper Tonto Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Upper Tonto Creek have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Upper Tonto Creek?+
Upper Tonto Creek is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Upper Tonto Creek?+
Upper Tonto Creek is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Upper Tonto Creek?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Upper Tonto Creek is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Upper Tonto Creek open, and what are check-in times?+
Upper Tonto Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$20 /night★ 4.6 (14)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Upper Tonto Creek cost per night?+
What season is Upper Tonto Creek open?+
Does Upper Tonto Creek have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Lower Tonto Creek

Payson, AZ

From $20/night

Ponderosa (Az)

PAYSON, AZ

From $22/night

Christopher Creek

PAYSON, AZ

From $24/night

Sharp Creek

PAYSON, AZ

From $29/night

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